Steam saturizing means for offset press



STEAM SATURIZING MEANS FOR OFFSET PRESS Filed Jan. 22, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet l 1 2 I" I" L. wi l? 0 Fi. "w J I INVENTORS ELLIOT MANDEL' WILLIAM GOLDSBOROUGH ATTOP/VEY Feb. 17, 1959 i E. MANDE'L ET AL 2,873,667

STEAM SATURIZING MEANS FOR OFFSET PRESS Filed Jan. 22, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS ELLIOT M AN DE L $1 LLIAM GOLDSBOROUGH United States Patent 6 STEAM SATURIZING MEANS FOR OFFSET PRESS Elliot Mandel, Brooklyn, and William Goldsborough, glow Ylork, N. Y.; said Goldsborough assignor to said ande Application January 22, 1958, Serial No. 710,430

9 Claims. (Cl. 101-147) This invention relates generally to duplicating apparatus and, more particularly, has reference to an improved means for applying ink-repellent and for moistening the surfaces of master sheets.

The invention is particularly intended for application to that duplicating machine manufacture by the Addressograph-Multigraph Corporation, 1200 Babbitt Road, Cleveland 17, Ohio, and sold under the trademark and model designation Multilith, Model 1250. The invention might, however, be applied to other offset printing presses.

The duplicating machine mentioned above is of the type in which ink is transferred from a fountain to ink form rulers, which are in contact with duplicating master, said master being a sheet tensioned about a master cylinder. The apparatus also includes a unit for applying ink repellent. This unit functions in harmony with the ink unit and its purpose is to distribute a repellent solution to all non-image areas of the duplicating master. The film of repellent solution is renewed at each machine revolution, and prevents ink from adhering to the specified, blank areas. This keeps the background clean and free from the defect known as tone.

The ink-repellent application unit, it has been observed, is comparatively complex, and yet does not have the characteristic of insuring a uniform application of the ink-repellent to the duplicating master. As a result, exceedingly fine adjustments are often required, with respect to the several rollers whereby the ink-repellent is transmitted to the duplicating master. These adjustments must be carefully effected, and if the exact adjustment is not made, the ink-repellent will be applied incorrectly, so that the desirable characteristics of the repellent are lost. Considerable skill on the part of the machine operator is required, including careful visual sighting across the surface of the master, in the adjustment of the position of the ink-repellent form roller for the purpose of locating the same in exact parallel reiation to, and with the exact pressure against, the master cylinder.

The main object of the present invention is to provide means that will be capable of being substituted bodily for the entire repellent application unit, which means will be of particularly simplified construction, and will discharge the same purposes as the repellent unit, by directing steam against the surface of the master cylinder. While it is known, per se, to apply steam to the surface of a printing roller for the purpose of moistening the same, the devices heretofore conceived for this purpose have not been widely used, due to difficulty of regulating the flow of steam properly, and due, further, to the comparatively expensive mechanism required, taken with the difliculty of forming steam upon or adjacent a machine of the type described.

A'more particular object of the invention is to permit a moistening device to be mounted upon a duplicating machine of the kind specified, While requiring modificaice tion or redesign of said machine to no more than a comparatively small extent.

Another object is to permit the moistening device of the invention to be substituted for ink-repellent units already inuse, at a comparatively small expense.

Another object is to facilitate the forming of steam by electrical energy, so that steam can be produced as long as there is a conveniently located receptacle of the building electrical wiring system.

A further object is to provide a particularly novel shape of water container, having a specially formed, slot-like passage through which the steam is directed to the surface of the cylinder, said passage being angled to cause the steam to impinge upon the cylinder sursurface at a particular, selected angle relative to said surface, the device further including a novelly designed cover having a passage particularly designed for imparting reverse flow to the steam and for controlling the flow of steam to the outlet of the device. Still another object is to provide a steam and water unit the cover of which, when shifted to open position, will completely expose the interior of the unit, for cleaning of the same and for replenishment of the water supply.

Another object is to provide, in a device of the character stated, a slot-like outlet passage that will extend directly through the body of water which is being converted into steam, so that there will be no loss of heat through the wall of said passage, thereby preventing condensation of the steam as it travels through the passage, and insuring that said condensation will occur only when the steam impinges upon the surface of the cylinder.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

in the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. l is a perspective view of a duplicating machine equipped with a moistening unit according to the invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary perspective view showing the opposite side of the machine, with the unit applied thereto.

Fig. 3 is a still further enlarged transverse sectional View substantially on line 3-3 of Fig. 2, showing the liquid supply.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view through the unit, substantially on line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view through the unit, looking upwardly at the cover, substantially on line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view through the cover, substantially on line 6-6 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view through the cover, substantially on line 7-7 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 8 is a still further enlarged perspective view of the immersion heating means of the device, per se.

Fig. 9 is a wiring diagram of the immersion heating means, and warning signal.

Fig. 10 is an enlarged perspective view of the valve of the device, per se.

Fig. 11 is a greatly enlarged transverse sectional view through the valve means, substantially on line 11-11 of Fig. 10.

Referring to the drawings in detail, designated generally at 10 is a duplicating machine, said machine having the usual blanket cylinder 12 and master cylinder 14. A

' 3 duplicating master is applied to the surface of the cylinder 14, while a blanket is applied to the cylinder 12, during normal operation of the machine.

The moistening unit constituting the present invention has been generally designated at 16, and is mounted in place of the conventional ink-repellent application device, that is ordinarily provided upon a machine of the type stated. The moistening unit of the invention comprises an upwardly opening, generally rectangular container 18, having front and back walls 20, 22 and end walls 24, said container being adapted to hold a quantity of liquid L of a type that will discharge a suitable moistening and ink-repellent function when directed in the form of a vapor against the surface of the master cylinder.

The container is normally closed by a rectangular lid 26 transversely, upwardly curved over its full length and having end walls 28. It will be understood that the lid would have a suitable peripheral gasket, not shown, at the point of its contact with the container, to insure that the container and lid would be steam-tight when the lid is closed.

The lid is swingably mounted for movement between the closed and open positions shown in full and dotted lines of Fig. 3, by means of a hinge 3t), and on the front edge of the lid there may be provided a swinging latch 32 engageable with a detent or lug 34 that projects forwardly from wall 20.

The entire device can be mounted upon a suitable bracket 36 having a depressed or downwardly offset front edge portion on which the container rests at the back of the container, with the forward portion of the container being unsupported at its bottom. Screws 38 or equivalent fastening means, spaced longitudinally of the container, extend through smooth-walled openings of the bottom wall thereof into threaded openings of the bracket to fixedly mount the container upon the bracket, as clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

Flanges 37 on the bottom ends of the end walls each provide a pair of spaced openings for receiving fastening elements 39 for further securing the container in place.

The upwardly concavo-convex lid 26 is provided, on its underside, with a block so designed as to provide a passageway for steam produced by heating of the liquid L. Said block has a planiform underside that lies in the plane of the top of the container 18, when the lid is in closed position. The block has been designated at 40, and has a top surface curved correspondingly to and fixedly secured to the underside of the lid 26.

The block 40 is so formed as to include a passage 42, the passage 42 when viewed in cross section being of inverted U-shape. Thus, steam may rise into the passage 42 along one side thereof through an inlet 44 (Fig. 3) travel forwardly and substantially horizontally transverse- 1y of the passage, and then move out of the passage through an outlet 46.

The passage extends substantially the full length of the container and lid, terminating as shown to particular advantage in Fig. a short distance inwardly from the opposite ends of the lid. The top of the passage is defined by the underside of the lid 26. The inlet 44 and the outlet 46 are extended in parallel relation, and are formed as wide slots, so that steam moves through the passage over almost the full length of the container.

Fixedly mounted within the container 18 is an elongated outlet conduit 48. The conduit 48 is elongated in a horizontal direction, longitudinally of the container, terminating at its opposite sides a short distance inwardly from the walls 24 of the container. Conduit 48, at its upper end, is engageable snugly in the outlet 46 of the lid, when the lid swings to closed position. This is shown in Fig. 3, and thus, steam forced into the passage 42 through the inlet 44 will move downwardly through the conduit 48, passing out of the device through an outlet aperture 49 formed in the bottom wall of the container and coextensive in length and width with the lower end of the conduit.

The slot 49 is extended parallel to the axis of the roller 14, and is in closely spaced relation to the surface of the roller. As a result, steam produced within the device and forced through the aperture 49 impinges upon the surface of the roller 14 and condenses immediately, so as to properly moisten the roller surface and apply ink-repellent to the non-image areas of the master that would be tensioned about the roller 14.

Conduit 48, as shown in Fig. 3, is inclined slightly out of the vertical, so that the steam is directed at an angle to a line extending radially of the roller or cylinder 14. The cylinder 14, it should be noted, is illustrated only diagrammatically in Fig. 3, and in actuality is not solid, but rather, is hollowly formed, containing an inner mechanism well known in the art and not required to be modified in carrying out the present invention.

Means is provided in the device for controlling the how through the conduit 48, so that said flow can be cut off or started whenever desired, and can be controllably reduced. Said means comprises an elongated, flat, wide valve plate 50, the width and length of which are coextensive with the inlet end of the conduit 48. The valve plate 50, in a commercial embodiment, would include on its underside a suitable gasket means, designed to effect a leak-tight engagement between the periphery of the valve and the inlet end of the conduit 48, when the valve is moved downwardly from its Fig. 3 to a fully closed position sealing oif the inlet end of the conduit 48 from the passage 42.

The valve 50 is mounted for vertical movement in the lid 26, and medially between its opposite ends has a small diameter opening. A threaded stem extends upwardly from the valve plate, and has a knurled knob 52 accessible exterioi'ly of the container. At its lower end, the stem has a reduced, smooth-surfaced axial extension rotatably engaged in the opening of the valve plate, said extension being designated at 54 and including at its lower end a head 55.

Thus, the stem is swiveled upon the valve plate 50. I

The valve stem is threadedly engaged in a threaded opening 56 of the cover 26 (see Fig. 7) with the forward edge of the valve plate being in slidable contact with the front wall of the passage 42, the end edges of the valve plate being in contact with the respective side walls 57 of the passage.

Thus, the valve plate 50 is held against rotatable movement when being raised or lowered, and on rotation of the stem 52, the valve plate may be lowered into sealable contact with the upper end of the conduit 48 to prevent steam from flowing out of the device. On raising of the valve stem, the conduit 48 is brought into communication with the passage 42.

The plate 50 can be raised to a very slight extent, to reduce the amount of steam permitted to flow into the conduit 48, and thus, full steam control is provided.

There is also provided in the device a conventional steam pressure relief valve 58, which may be threaded into the lid 26, into communication with the passage 42. When steam within the passage exceeds a predetermined amount, as for example while the valve plate 50 is in closed position and steam is being made, the pressure relief valve automatically opens to insure that the pressure will not exceed a predetermined amount. The valve can be of any desired type, that is, it can be of the type capable of pre-setting for the purpose of opening only when steam reaches a selected, adjusted temperature. Furthermore, thermostatic controls can 'be provided, that will insure the cutting off of electric power used for heating the liquid L, whenever pressure exceeds a predetermined amount. All these expedients are well known in the art of building up steam heads, and accordingly, need not be specially illustrated and described herein.

The water supply as shown in Fig. 3 is a bottle 45 containing water removably mounted on a bracket 47 secured to the frame It] behind and adjacent to the container 16. A hose 51 leads from the water bottle to the lid and extends through an inlet opening 53 in the lid to the top of the container. The flow of water is continuous and is controlled by a faucet 59 on the bottle and a valve 61 on the hose at the free end thereof.

In accordance with the invention, there is provided a liquid heating means generally designated 60, in the form of an electric immersion heater. Saidheater in the illustrated example includes a block 62 which is sealably, fixedly mounted in a mating opening of the back wall 22. Embedded in and extending downwardly from the block are spaced immersion rods, of a suitable electrically insulative material having the characteristic of rapid heat transfer. The construction of such rods is well known in the art of Vaporizers and the like and need not be described in detail herein.

In the back surface of the block 62, so as to be exposed to the outside of the machine, is a receptacle or electrical socket 66, having spaced prong-receiving slots. Also mounted upon the back surface of the block 62 is a rheostatic switch 68, which can be turned to a selected number of positions, for heating of the liquid by high heat, medium heat, or low heat, as desired. The calibrations of the rheostatic switch, and the particular nature of the switch, again need not be described, since this is a conventional device per se.

Electric power is supplied through a plug 70, connected to an appliance cord 71 that is adapted to be plugged into a suitable convenience outlet, not shown. Plug 70 is engaged in the slots of the receptacle or socket 66.

The resistance elements that are embedded in the rods 64 have been designated at 72. Referring to Fig. 9, a typical circuit arrangement that can be used is illustrated. As will be noted, current flows from one side of the house electric supply through one terminal of the socket 66, passing to the movable arm of the rheostatic switch, which arm is in contact, when the switch is in on position, with the resistance of the rheostatic switch. The current flows through the switch to the resistance elements 72, which are connected in parallel between opposite sides of the circuit of the immersion.

heater.

The current then flows out of the device through the other side of the circuit, as shown in Fig. 9.

It is also preferred to mount a warning lamp 859 on the front wall 2% of the container 16 and connect the lamp with the heating unit circuit. This is accomplished by connecting a conductor 87 to one side of the circuit leading to the stationary contact 32 of a switch. The switch is provided with a movable arm 83 carrying a contact 84 adapted to contact the stationary contact 82 The movable contact 84 is normally held out of contact with the stationary contact by a coil spring 85 secured at one end to the movable arm 83. The lamp is connected in circuit with the switch by a conductor 86 and with the other side of the heating unit circuit by a conductor 3'7. The bottle 45 is connected to movable arm 83 and the weight of the water bottle and contents are transmitted to the movable arm 83 of the switch and so long as the contents of. the bottle is sufficient for proper operation of the apparatus, the combined weight will hold the movable contact 84 out of contact with the stationary contact but when the supply reaches a predetermined minimum amount, the spring 85 will come into play to move the arm to close the contacts whereby the lamp 8% will become illuminated and provide a warning that the supply needs to be replenished.

It will be seen that the device is one which permits the steam to be made without requirement of any special steam-producing equipment, apart from an immersion heater that is electrically powered. Therefore, a con- 6 ventional appliance cord can be used for transmitting current to the heater.

In use of the device, with the switch 68 in on position, and selectively positioned to heatthe liquid at a selected rate, steam produced within the chamber defined above the surface of the liquid will be forced through the passage 42, and with valve plate 59 in open position, will be directed downwardly. through the conduit 48 to impinge upon the surface of the duplicating master. A uniform application of ink-repellent to the surface of the master is thus provided, with the steam condensing immediately as it touches the surface of the master. The device therefore discharges the function of a conventional ink-repellent unit, which acts to apply the ink-repellent by causing the liquid to gravitate from a reservoir, without being vaporized, to a cylinder assembly by means of which it is rolled onto the surface of the duplicating master. This has the disadvantage that a fully uniform application of the liquid cannot be achieved and maintained except with continual observation of the machine by an experienced person, and except by very close and skillfully made adjustments.

While we have illustrated and described the preferred embodiment of our invention, it is to be understood that we do not limit ourselves to the precise construction herein disclosed and that various changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. A moistening unit for a duplicating machine having at least one cylinder to be moistened, comprising a container for a vaporizable liquid, a conduit within said container having an outlet for steam to be directed against the surface of the cylinder, a lid for the container having a passage communicating with the conduit for movement of steam through the passage into the conduit, means for supplying liquid to said container, and means for pro ducing steam within the container in a space that is in communication with said passage.

2. A moistening unit for a duplicating machine having at least one cylinder to be moistened, comprising a container for a vaporizable liquid, means for mounting the same on a duplicating machine in proximity to said cylinder, a steam conduit within the container having an inlet and having an outlet through which the steam is directed against the cylinder, a lid mounted on the container for movement between open and closed positions and having a passage communicating with the conduit in the closed lid position, said container having a liquidreceiving space communicating with the passage, means for supplying liquid to said container, and means for heating liquid within said space.

3. A moistening unit for a duplicating machine having at least one cylinder to be moistened, comprising a container for a vaporizable liquid, means for mounting the same on a duplicating machine in proximity to said cylinder, a steam conduit within the container having an inlet and having an outlet through which the steam is directed against'the cylinder, a lid mounted on the container for movement between open and closed positions and having a passage communicating with the conduit in the closed lid position, said container having a liquidreceiving space communicating with the passage, and means for heating liquid within said space, said outlet being of slot-like form and being adapted for extension in parallelism with the axis of the cylinder for distributing steam over substantially the full length of the cylinder.

4. A moistening unit for a duplicating machine having at least one cylinder to be moistened, comprising a container for a vaporizable liquid, means for mounting the same on a duplicating machine in proximity to said cylinder, a steam conduit within the container having an inlet and having an outlet through which the steam is directed against the cylinder, a lid mounted on the container for movement between open and closed positions and having a passage communicating with the conduit in the closed lid position, said container having a liquid-receiving space communicating with the passage, and means for heating liquid within said space, the conduit being mounted within said space, for passage of the steam through the conduit With the wall of the conduit immersed in the liquid that is being heated.

5. A moistening unit for a duplicating machine having at least one cylinder to be moistened, comprising a container for a vaporizable liquid, means for mounting the same on a duplicating machine in proximity to said cylinder, a steam conduit within the container having an inlet and having an outlet through which the steam is directed against the cylinder, a lid mounted on the container for movement between open and closed positions and having a passage communicating with the conduit in the closed lid position, said container having a liquidreceiving space communicating with the passage, and means for heating liquid within said space, the conduit being mounted within said space, for passage of the steam through the conduit with the wall of the conduit immersed in the liquid that is being heated, said lid including on its underside a block in which the passage is formed.

6. A moistening unit for a duplicating machine having at least one cylinder to be moistened, comprising a container for a vaporizable liquid, means for mounting the same on a duplicating machine in proximity to said cylinder, a steam conduit within the container having an inlet and having an outlet through which the steam is directed against the cylinder, a lid mounted on the container for movement between open and closed positions and having a passage communicating with the conduit in the closed lid position, said container having a liquid-receiving space communicating with the passage, and means for heating liquid within said space, the conduit being mounted within said space, for passage of the steam through the conduit with the wall of the conduit immersed in the liquid that is being heated, said lid including on its underside a block in which the passage is formed, said passage being of inverted U-shape in cross section, with the passage at one side being connected in communication with the conduit by movement of the conduit into the passage responsive to shifting of the lid to a closed position.

7. A moistening unit for a duplicating machine having at least one cylinder to be moistened, comprising a container for a vaporizable liquid, means for mounting the same on a duplicating machine in proximity to said cylinder, a steam conduit within the container having an inlet and having an outlet through which the steam is directed against the cylinder, a lid mounted on the container for movement between open and closed positions and having a passage communicating with the conduit in the closed lid position, said container having a liquidreceiving space communicating with the passage, and means for heating liquid within said space, the conduit being mounted within said space, for passage of the steam through the conduit with the wall of the conduit immersed in the liquid that is being heated, said lid including on its underside a block in which the passage is formed, said passage being of inverted U-shape in cross section, with the passage at one side being connected in communication with the conduit by movement of the conduit into the passage responsive to shifting of the lid to a closed position, said passage being elongated in a direction longitudinally of the lid, the conduit being correspondingly elongated in said direction.

8. A moistening unit for a duplicating machine having at least one cylinder to be moistened, comprising a container for a vaporiza'ble liquid, means for mounting the same on a duplicating machine in proximity to said cylinder, a steam conduit within the container having an inlet and having an outlet through which the steam is directed against the cylinder, a lid mounted on the container for movement between open and closed positions and having a passage communicating with the conduit in the closed lid position, said container having a liquid-receiving space communicating with the passage, and means for heating liquid within said space, the conduit being mounted within said space, for passage of the steam through the conduit with the wall of the conduit immersed in the liquid that is being heated, said lid including on its underside a block in which the passage is formed, said passage being of inverted U-shape in cross section, with the passage at one side being connected in communication with the conduit by movement of the conduit into the passage responsive to shifting of the lid to a closed position, the unit further including a valve means mounted in the lid and arranged for movement between open and closed positions under the control of an operator, the valve means in its closed position preventing communication between the passage and conduit.

9, A moistening unit for a duplicating machine having at least one cylinder to be moistened, comprising a container for a vaporizable liquid, means for mounting the same on a duplicating machine in proximity to said cylinder, a steam conduit within the container having an inlet and having an outlet through which the steam is directed against the cylinder, a lid mounted on the container for movement between open and closed positions and having a passage communicating with the conduit in the closed lid position, said container having a liquid-receiving space communicating with the passage, and means for heating liquid within said space, the conduit being mounted within said space, for passage of the steam through the conduit with the wall of the conduit immersed in the liquid that is being heated, said lid including on its underside a block in which the passage is formed, said passage being of inverted U-shape in cross section, with the passage at one side being connected in communication with the conduit by movement of the conduit into the passage responsive to shifting of the lid to a closed position, the unit further including a valve means mounted in the lid and arranged for movement between open and closed positions under the control of an operator, the valve means in its closed position preventing communication between the passage and conduit, said valve means comprising a plate engaged in the passage against rotatable movement and having a shape corresponding to the shape of the conduit, said valve means further including a screw threaded in the lid and swivelly connected to the plate,

the screw projecting above the lid for rotation by a user.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,335,026 Pitkin Mar. 30, 1920 

